Crumbling Bridges {YuJae} | complete

twenty-five

For the last time... I hope you enjoy ♥

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"Where did I put the wrapping paper, Yu?"

Jaehyun stands in the middle of his room, looks around with his hands on his cheeks to scratch the skin red and collect his thoughts. Yuta rushes in when called, pulls the younger's hands into his own.

"Don't stress, babe. It's under the bed."

"What would I do without you?" Jaehyun mutters as he crawls on the floor to drag the roll of paper across the carpet. It leaves a trail of silver glitter that'll take some serious vacuuming, then he realises the sparkly hearts and stars have spread the sparkles all over his hands and jeans by the time he's wrapped Hyejin's birthday present. He eyes the botched tape and extra patches of paper he had to add because he cut the original piece too small, heart tugging for him to try again, do it right.

"You did a good job. It looks fine."

"Are you sure?" Jaehyun asks, eyebrows sunken and nibbling on his bottom lip. Yuta stops him with a kiss, then cups his cheeks and pecks his nose between reassurances that Hyejin will love it no matter what.

The girl's birthday draws closer. Yuta and Jaehyun bake her a cake while she's at debating club after school, another new obsession that Jaehyun is glad to hear about over dinner each night. They'd given Hyejin a choice, promised to bake whatever she wanted. A cake with seven layers, each a different colour of the rainbow and piled high with buttercream, seemed out of their league, but Jaehyun thoroughly studied the recipe and, with Yuta as his hype man, he figured it shouldn't be too taxing.

"You're so talented, baby. It looks stunning." Yuta's arms circle the younger's waist when he rests his chin on Jaehyun's shoulder to peer at the cake.

Jaehyun can't conceal his pride. He shivers from the relief of not having to rush back to the supermarket to buy all the ingredients for another attempt, and knowing that he's fulfilled yet another of his daughter's wishes brings him insurmountable happiness. Things are going smoothly. There hasn't been a hitch in weeks, and Jaehyun is sure Yuta's presence is a huge help.

"Would you consider moving in? Like... properly? Officially?" Jaehyun asks once he's twisted around in his boyfriend's arms to face him, chests pressed together and faces close enough to feel each other's breaths on their lips, warmth blooming between them.

"I'd love to. I know I kind of just invited myself here and never left." Yuta says with a laugh.

"I didn't want you to leave."

"I figured." Yuta raises an eyebrow in the direction of the mug that's unofficially reserved for him, which has the younger blushing. Jaehyun has been making little tweaks in the usual routine to accommodate for Yuta, to make sure he feels welcomed and at home. He's glad the elder noticed the small details.

"I love you." Jaehyun whispers. His eyelids droop, happiness oozing like honey through his blood and sticking his thoughts together into an incoherent ball of fuzzy pleasure as they share another kiss.

"I love you more."

"We live together now. Wow."

"You're supposed to say 'I love you even more'." Yuta mutters, but he's grinning and Jaehyun squeals when he receives a poke to the ribs.

"Fine. I love you even more. I suppose."

Yuta releases him, not without another kiss that leaves them both breathless, so he can slide the cake into the box ready for Hyejin's birthday the following day. He sucks in his cheeks, praying to not drop it or smudge the piping on the top, but the cake is safe and Jaehyun is content.